The 1980 Listening Post - The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue

 Reviewed by Jon Rosenberg

Released: June 20 1980 The Rolling Stones Emotional Rescue Genre: Rock Allen’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Jon’s Rating: 3.75 out of 5 Highlights: Emotional Rescue She’s So Cold Send It to Me Indian Girl The Stones hit their 80’s! No, wait. I meant to say the Stones hit THE 80’s. Only Bill Wyman has yet hit the eight decade mark. Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie are still firmly ensconced in their ‘70’s. And so is this record. When “Emotional Rescue” came out in the summer of 1980, it was an immediate hit. You could not get through a day without hearing the title track or “She’s So Cold” on the radio. I’m not going to try to convince anyone that these are great songs, but they both infiltrated my psyche at a young age and always bring a smile to my face. “Emotional Rescue,” the song, is basically the Stones taking another stab at disco (full disclosure: I kinda like disco) the way they did on their previous album with “Miss You.” Clearly, all that time Mick was spending at Studio 54 was taking its toll. Not much guitar action happening here, but Bill and Charlie’s tight rhythm section keep things chugging. Mick’s falsetto vocals are a bit off-putting, and things get even weirder when he switches back to his regular voice to intone “I will be your knight in shining arrrrr-mor, coming to your eee-motional resc-yoo.” It’s ridiculous, but I love it. “She’s So Cold” is a more traditional Stones song: an old-school rock and roll boogie with goofy (perhaps slightly misogynistic?) lyrics about not being able to get laid. Mick still can’t get no satisfaction! In a similar vein, “Send It to Me” is a reggae-tinged paean to mail-order brides. Or prostitutes, I’m not quite sure. But the groove is bouncy and fun, and that’s good enough. The real surprise is “Indian Girl,” which on the surface seems like a sweet love ballad to a Native American woman. The song has a light, Latin vibe to it, but when you pay attention to the lyrics, all of a sudden you realize it’s a song about American imperialism in Central and South America! Slightly deeper than the opener “Dance – Part 1.” Then again, don’t forget that this is the band who gave us “Street Fighting Man” and “Gimme Shelter.” The rest of the album is fine. Nothing special. Second-rate Stones, to be sure. But even second-rate Stones is better than a lot of other bands’ first-rate material.

The 1981 Listening Post - AC/DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

 AC/DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

#602

By Jon Rosenberg

November 23 1981

AC/DC

For Those About to Rock We Salute You

Genre: Hard Rock

Allen’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 5 out of 5

Highlights:  

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Let’s Get It Up

C.O.D.

Breaking the Rules

OK, I love this album.  It will probably cause some controversy when I say this, but I think it’s even better than Back in Black - or at least its equal.  Unlike BiB, the specter of death does not hang over FTATR.  The period of mourning for original singer Bon Scott is over and now it’s time to party again.  As expected, all of the songs here contain crunchy riffs (courtesy of the Young brothers, Angus and Malcolm, on lead and rhythm guitars respectively), a throbbing backbeat (from Cliff Williams on bass and Phil Rudd on drums), and screeching, larynx-shredding vocals (from “new guy” Brian Johnson).  Returning to produce is “Mutt” Lange, who reportedly took three days just to get the sound of the snare drum just right.  Was it worth it? Probably not, in the great scheme of things.  But the album does sound fantastic.

Did I mention that I love this album?  Every song.  Personally, I don’t think there’s a weak tune to be skipped over, but there are a few that I sometimes put on repeat: The epic title track kicks things off with a grinding, slow-burn of a groove that gradually escalates to a literally explosive climax, complete with cannons firing.  An instant classic, the song has since become the traditional show closer for their live concerts, and, yes, you better believe they have real cannons on that stage!

Another favorite is “Let’s Get It Up,” which I’m amazed hasn’t found its way into a Viagra commercial by now.  When I was young and naïve, I assumed that most AC/DC songs were about sex.  Now I’m sure of it!  Regarding “Let’s Get It Up,” Brian Johnson told Kerrang! Magazine in the 80’s that the song is, "Filth, pure filth. We're a filthy band."  And who can argue with that?  

Also great is “C.O.D.,” a nasty little ditty about getting your mail delivered.  No, actually, in this case the title means “care of the devil” and it’s a love song.  Of sorts.  With some delightful wordplay that only a rock band of AC/DC’s stature could get away with.  But don’t lower your fists and lighters just yet: “Breaking the Rules” gives us the quintessential “hesher” anthem.  “I get my kicks in my own way!” wails Brian, and I for one believe him.  The perfect soundtrack for that keg party in the woods – remember those?  At least until the cops show up.

So yeah, I’ll always consider For Those About to Rock We Salute You to be the ultimate AC/DC record: big, loud, dumb and fun.  Let’s call it rock ‘n’ roll comfort food – all carbs and sugar and deep-fried to perfection.  It’s good for what ails ya!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7DUvURQ0wfA1kgG8j99frR?si=lTxkSqjbSpC6yOauzDiOiQ

The 1981 Listening Post - Alice Cooper - Special Forces

 Alice Cooper - Special Forces 

#400

By Jon Rosenberg

Alice Cooper

Special Forces

Genre: Hard Rock/Punk/New Wave

Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 3 out of 5

Highlights:  

Prettiest Cop on the Block

Seven & Seven Is

Skeletons in the Closet

You Look Good in Rags

As a horror movie freak since the days of my yoot, I always found Alice Cooper’s creepy stage persona and Halloweenie antics amusing.  His music, not so much.  I mean the hits, like “I’m Eighteen” and “School’s Out,” are great 70’s FM radio fodder, but I was never compelled to explore his oeuvre further.  Special Forces might actually change that.

This is an album that Alice refers to as one of his “blackout albums.”  Apparently, he was so fucked up on booze and coke and God knows what else that he can’t even remember recording it or touring behind it.  Which makes it all the more impressive that it’s this good.*

Most of the sound here is hard rock, but there are hints of punk and even a little new wave vibe on a couple of songs.  “Prettiest Cop on the Block” is some kind of new wave/punk hybrid with a great groove and freaky lyrics that I can’t quite figure out.   The heavy cover of 60’s psychedelic band Love’s “Seven & Seven Is” works surprisingly well.  “Skeletons in the Closet,” with its gothic keyboard intro, sounds like the end theme song for an 80’s Hammer horror flick.  And “You Look Good in Rags” is a solid rocker with great guitars and more wacky lyrics.

If this is Alice Cooper’s low point, I feel like I owe it to myself to check out some of his earlier work.  We should all be so lucky and/or talented to record and completely forget about an album this fun.

*There’s video out there of Alice playing some of these songs on The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder in ’81 where he looks frighteningly gaunt and cadaverous, but the band sounds great!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7gTU2G8VgEWEADPONxO2yF?si=UlulVoObSmCUsQEW_cp2sw

The 1981 Listening Post - The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You

 The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You

#365

By Jon Rosenberg

The Rolling Stones

Tattoo You

Genre: Rock

Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Highlights:

Waiting on a Friend

Slave

Little T&A

Start Me Up

Hang Fire

My rating: 4

Only “The World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band” could cobble together a bunch of outtakes and unfinished songs and emerge with one of their best albums.  And that is exactly what The Stones did with Tattoo You.  It’s a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that some of these tunes were nearly a decade old by the time they saw the light of day.  Besides the current Stones lineup at the time, many additional musicians play on the tracks, including Mick Taylor on guitar, Nicky Hopkins on piano, Billy Preston on keyboards, and jazz great Sonny Rollins on sax.

Tattoo You gave the Stones three of their most enduring latter-day hits.  You know the ones I’m talking about: “Start Me Up,” “Hang Fire,” and “Waiting on a Friend.” Not much more I can say about these tunes that hasn’t already been said.

But in addition to these great hits, there are several fabulous “deep cuts” (as they used to call them back in the days when rock radio was still a thing.)  The best is “Slave,” one of the Stones’ raunchiest, funkiest grooves with a killer Sonny Rollins solo.  Lyrically there’s not much going on besides “Don’t wanna be your slave” repeated endlessly, but somehow you know exactly what Mick’s singing about.   Apparently, the working title was “Vagina.”  Another highlight is Keith’s ode to groupies, “Little T&A.” It’s everything you expect from a rifftastic Stones song: sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.  Maybe a little casual misogyny.  And for those who like their Stones bluesy, you can’t beat “Black Limousine,” which features Sugar Blue (of “Miss You” fame) wailing on harmonica.

While it is quite amazing how cohesive this album feels, despite the “odds and sods” nature of the recordings, it falls just short of classic status.  But even a “contractual obligation” from The Rolling Stones is a damn good time!

https://open.spotify.com/album/15XNBzVWARPMlu0sEbfBjJ?si=ZqyAKMyrQr6TFJB10nUPiQ

The 1981 Listening Post - Anvil - Hard 'N' Heavy

 Anvil - Hard 'n' Heavy

#202

By Jon Rosenberg

May 25 1981

Anvil

Hard ‘N’ Heavy

Genre: Canadian Metal, eh?

Allen’s rating: 4 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 1.75 out of 5

Highlights:  

Oh Jane

Paint It Black

I had never even heard of Canadian metal band Anvil until I saw the documentary about them called “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” a decade or so ago.  It’s a great rock-doc that has been compared to a real-life “This is Spinal Tap,” a comparison made all the more amusing by the fact that Anvil’s drummer is named Robb Reiner!  

Anyway, full disclosure: I’m not much into metal.  But I did request this album to review out of curiosity.  So, if you’re a big metal-head, feel free to add a couple of points to my rating.

Hard ‘N’ Heavy was Anvil’s debut album.  Apparently, it had been previously released under the band’s original name, Lips – which is also the nickname of singer/guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow.  Maybe someone thought Lips sounded too much like Kiss?  So they named themselves after the most heavy metal thing they could think of: a big, heavy piece of metal.

This isn’t a great album, but it’s not terrible either.  It just struck me as rather pedestrian, really.  No memorable riffs to speak of at all.  It is pretty damn ballsy to title a song on your debut “AC/DC,” and it’s one of the better songs here.  Though all it did is make me want to listen to an actual AC/DC album.   The “Paint It Black” cover isn’t bad, but hardly worth the price of admission.  Honestly, the only song that stuck with me at all is “Oh Jane,” which has an almost grungy, Neil Young groove to it, with the added attraction of some tasteful cowbell.  Everything else I had completely forgotten five minutes after the album ended.

But who cares what I think?  Anvil released their 18th studio album in February of 2020!

https://open.spotify.com/album/4NCuKI3wmtygdlouv7PPNv?si=8B4TbhZVRwqSNRzbHO2Whw

The 1981 Listening Post - David Lindley - El Rayo-X

David Lindley - El Rayo-X #135 By Jon Rosenberg April 1981 David Lindley El Rayo-X Genre: Roots rock/Reggae/Zydeco Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5 Jon’s rating: 4 out of 5 Highlights: Mercury Blues Bye Bye Love Quarter of a Man Twist & Shout Pay the Man David Lindley is what’s known as a “musician’s musician.” In the 70’s he was an in-demand session player who appeared on albums by Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Dolly Parton, Curtis Mayfield and many others. If you needed a guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, or just about any other string instrument on a song, you called Lindley. In 1981, he put together his own band – El Rayo-X – and recorded this eponymously titled album (with a little help from his friend Jackson Browne as producer). This was a hard one to categorize. While “El Rayo-X” has many sonic flavors to sample, the overall vibe is very rootsy Americana with some serious reggae and New Orleans influences. Like if Bob Marley got lost in Cajun country while looking for Robert Johnson at the crossroads. Maybe it was a reaction to punk or the nascent New Wave scene, but this album sounds nothing like any of that stuff. No synths, no drum machines, no studio trickery - and it’s great! There’s a wonderfully unexpected reggae cover of “Bye Bye Love,” a scorching slide-guitar jam on “Mercury Blues,” a ska-Zydeco cover of “Twist & Shout,” a fun R&B workout with “Your Old Lady,” and a bunch of other sweet ear candy. Sure, there’s nothing particularly deep here, lyrically or otherwise, but there’s no way you can listen to these tunes and not smile. This is joyful music – and who couldn’t use a little joy in their lives right now? https://open.spotify.com/album/5YBOfNA4D8hUldUGivKZd7?si=6WxMVlR2T6atO5vcsdAKJA

The 1981 Listening Post - Santana - Zebop!

Santana - Zebop! #132 By Jon Rosenberg April 29 1981 Santana Zebop! Genre: Rock/Latin Rock/Jazz Rock Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5 Jon’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Highlights: Winning Changes Tales of Kilimanjaro Genre: Rock/Latin Rock/Jazz Rock Santana hits the 80’s! With an album called Zebop! And yes, the exclamation point is part of the title, so clearly someone was very excited about this music. After spending the latter half of the 70’s putting out jazz fusion that seemed to alienate many of their Woodstock Nation fans, Zebop! is something of a return to form. Gone are the Fillmore-length jams and lysergic lyrics, and in their place shorter, more radio friendly songs. But fear not, there is still a lot of fantastic guitar-work, and the requisite Latin percussion that envelopes you like a warm comfy blanket – and without which this wouldn’t be a Santana album. There’s nothing here of the caliber of “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman,” or “Nobody to Depend On” from the first three albums. But “Winning” is a catchy-as-hell pop song -written by Russ Ballard - that gave Santana their first Top 20 hit single in a decade - and their last until “Smooth” in 1999. It’s still a great song, which fortunately hasn’t been co-opted (yet) by any douchebag politicians who don’t pay attention to the lyrics. “Changes” - a Cat Stevens cover - is a fantastic opener, that Santana make their own. And “Tales of Kilimanjaro” is a swirling Santana instrumental that brings to mind the chill vibe of “Singing Winds, Crying Beasts” from Abraxas. So, while some may not appreciate the pop sensibilities and brevity of the tunes, Zebop! is a minor classic in the Santana discography and definitely worthy of reappraisal by fans who may have dismissed it back in the day. https://open.spotify.com/album/6xneJ1pKj47GhKZOKv7OGD?si=i7CL7uYsSe2sLKmdsq6Qqw

The 1981 Listening Post - Carl Wilson - Carl Wilson

 Carl Wilson - Carl Wilson 

#102

By Jon Rosenberg

March 27 1981

Carl Wilson

Carl Wilson

Genre: Yacht Rock?

Allen’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 2 out of 5 

Highlights:  

Hold Me

The Right Lane

Heaven

The Grammy

Despite the high regard in which they are held by lots of folks I love and respect (including members of The Beatles), I have never been a fan of The Beach Boys.  Yeah, yeah, I know, Brian Wilson is a genius who wrote some great songs and did innovative things in the studio that influenced many for years to come.  But their sound never appealed to me, and their songs about surfing and cars left me cold.

That said, this solo album by Carl Wilson sounds nothing like The Beach Boys.  Which is a positive as far as I’m concerned.  Carl was the youngest of the three Wilson brothers who co-founded The Beach Boys with a cousin and friend.   He was the lead guitarist and often lead singer on some of their biggest hits.  He’s also the one who didn’t suffer from mental illness or hang out with Charles Manson.  Carl was clearly a talented musician, and by the end of the 70’s was looking to break out of the surf-rock prison he was trapped in.

Carl Wilson by Carl Wilson is a pleasant enough album.  Wilson’s voice is actually quite soothing.  The songs are all played with the laid-back late-70’s/early 80’s slickness that launched a thousand yachts.  Upon first listening, I immediately thought, “This sounds like Chicago!” And lo and behold, it turns out that producer James William Guercio had also produced several of Chicago’s biggest albums.

The opener “Hold Me” has a decent groove and almost rocks.  “The Right Lane” feels like an Eagles reject.  “Heaven” is reminiscent of those Peter Cetera-sung Chicago ballads you never wanted hear again, but you put it on because it might just get you laid.  And “The Grammy,” is a song about – wait for it - winning a Grammy.  Amusing, but truly a WTF moment.

I can’t imagine this album will appeal to Beach Boys fans, let alone hard rockers, but if Christopher Cross is your jam, blend up a Pina Colada, climb into your hammock and give it a listen.  Worst case scenario, you’ll have a nice nap.

https://open.spotify.com/album/5883M46j7r0r5tWRg0BVUj?si=zVckf8y2S-Su9_txiiUJMw

The 1981 Listening Post - Eric Clapton - Another Ticket

 Eric Clapton - Another Ticket

#56

By Jon Rosenberg

February 17 1981

Eric Clapton

Another Ticket

Genre: Rock

Allen’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 3 out of 5

Highlights:  

I Can’t Stand It

Rita Mae

Floating Bridge

Catch Me If You Can

Clapton is God!  At least that’s what some people thought back in the 1960’s when he was in Cream.  And I might have agreed with them then.  His guitar playing was aggressive and innovative, with a tone like no other at the time.  And he could jam his ass off!  Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was supported by the likes of Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.  But then Cream broke up.  EC’s next two bands - Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos - both delivered fantastic debut albums, but were short-lived excursions for various reasons.  And by 1974, Clapton began his solo career in earnest.

One of the reasons Clapton gave for breaking up Cream was that after he heard The Band’s Music From Big Pink, he wanted to get into more “song-oriented” material.  Fair enough.  But if you’re going to do that, make sure you have some good songs!   Another Ticket is EC’s seventh solo album, and it’s mediocre at best.  Competently produced by Tom Dowd and accompanied by, among others, Gary Brooker of Procol Harum on keys, this album is almost instantly forgettable.

“I Can’t Stand It” was actually a Number 1 hit single and it is surely this album’s highlight, but hardly worthy of God.  “Catch Me If You Can,” written with Brooker, has flashes of the old brilliance, and blues cover “Floating Bridge” has its moments too.  It’s only the album’s closer, “Rita Mae” that has any of the energy and virtuosity that one might expect from a guitar hero, but by then it’s too late!

Perhaps I’m being too harsh here.  I bought this on vinyl back in the mid-80’s and remember being disappointed then.  In retrospect – and with lowered expectations – I didn’t hate it.  It’s certainly better than most of the MOR crap that EC delivered later.  Clapton is a bluesman at heart, so he’s at his best making blues albums (like 1994’s terrific From the Cradle) but here he really seems to want to be a pop star – and who am I to argue? I’d just rather listen to Layla or Wheels of Fire myself.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0RnwxYxvxulUrMDyszaTlt?si=KnMuURZeQhusJ1B0fzB6tQ

The 1980 Listening Post - Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Doc at the Radar Station

Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band - Doc at the Radar Station 

#337

by Jon Rosenberg

Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band

Doc at the Radar Station

Genre: Captain Beefheart

Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Highlights:  Hot Head

A Carrot Is as Close as a Rabbit Gets to a Diamond

Dirty Blue Gene

Making Love to a Vampire With a Monkey on My Knee

Captain Beefheart is an acquired taste.  His music is… weird.  Idiosyncratic may be a better word for it.  Is he playing rock, jazz, blues, avant-garde experimental whatnot?  Yes, all of the above.  Often at the same time.   He sounds like a Martian doing a Howlin’ Wolf impression at the bottom of the sea.  In other words, not for everyone.

Many people consider the Captain’s third album, 1969’s Frank Zappa-produced “Trout Mask Replica” to be his magnum opus.  For me, it’s barely listenable.  I mean, I get what he’s trying to do, and I can appreciate it on an intellectual level, and maybe it is a work of genius.  But I much prefer to listen to Beefheart’s mid-70’s attempts at commercial success with the far more accessible albums “The Spotlight Kid” and “Clear Spot.”  I may also be one of the only people out there who really digs Beefheart’s stab at pop music on “Unconditionally Guaranteed” and “Bluejeans & Moonbeams.”

“Doc at the Radar Station” (don’t ask me what that title means) is a late-career return to form.  That is, it slides comfortably between the extremes.  I’m assuming at this point the Captain had zero fucks left to give about selling records and just wanted to make art.  In fact, after this, he recorded one more equally unique album, 1982’s “Ice Cream for Crow,” then retired from music and became a painter full time.

Whether or not you’ll like this album depends on your tolerance for cacophony.  If you dig free jazz by guys like Albert Ayler or John Coltrane’s later work, if you can get into surreal, Beat-influenced lyrics, give it a shot.  But don’t say you weren’t warned!

https://open.spotify.com/album/6JyNWU5OrHs00ayVrY896l?si=Sh1HDBCiR1OrUjOdqLEOLw

The 1980 Listening Post - AC/DC - Back in Black

 AC/DC - Back in Black

#289

by Jon Rosenberg

AC/DC 

Back in Black 

Genre: Hard Rock (NOT noise pollution!) 

Allen’s Rating: 5 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 5 out of 5

Highlights: 

The whole fucking album! 

But if I must choose… 

You Shook Me All Night Long 

Back in Black 

Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution 

Let Me Put My Love Into You 

Have a Drink On Me 

A lot of people are surprised to learn that a tie-dyed-in-the-wool Deadhead like myself also loves AC/DC. I can’t explain it either. Such is life. 

AC/DC were riding high in 1979. Their brand of heavy, take-no-prisoners blues rock was finally bringing them worldwide notoriety. “Highway to Hell,” their sixth album, hit #17 on the Billboard 200, and they toured Europe and the U.S. as headliners. 

Then their lead singer Bon Scott drank himself to death at the age of 33 on February 19, 1980. Lesser bands would have called it quits at this point, but after a few months of mourning AC/DC got their shit together, recruited a new lead singer and began recording their next album. Ostensibly a tribute to Bon Scott, “Back in Black” is anything but funereal. It’s more like a swift kick in the Grim Reaper’s balls. These are all songs about drinking and fucking and… well, that’s pretty much it. 

Angus Young and his brother Malcolm, lead and rhythm guitars respectively, are masters of the hard rock riff, with Cliff Williams on bass and Phil Rudd on drums providing a relentless backbone for every tune. And wailing like a banshee above it all is new singer Brian Johnson, sounding like he’s gargling broken glass and nails as he spits out classy lyrics like “Let me put my love into you, babe/Let me put my love on the line/ Let me put my love into you, babe /Let me cut your cake with my knife.” 

The sound is crisp and clean, while still raw and dirty, courtesy of hot producer du jour Robert John “Mutt” Lange. I’ve never really been a fan of Mutt’s work on anything else, but here he gets the job done right. From the beginning (right up until their most recent album in 2014) AC/DC have tread a not-so-fine line between being a serious hard rock band and a caricature of one. In concert, with Angus’s English schoolboy uniform stage attire and assorted props and pyrotechnics, they clearly lean towards the cartoony. 

But who cares? They do one thing and they do it well. And “Back in Black” is the pinnacle of their art. I almost docked it a quarter of a point for the sexist, low-brow lyrics on a few songs that may not have aged well. But fuck that, it’s a great album!

https://open.spotify.com/album/6mUdeDZCsExyJLMdAfDuwh?si=jeTMWcOUTP-RLrL6KuY2YQ

The 1980 Listening Post - Bob Dylan - Saved

 Bob Dylan - Saved

#256

by Jon Rosenberg

Bob Dylan 

Saved 

Genre: Jebus rock

Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Jon’s Rating: 3 out of 5

Jon’s Highlights: 

Saved 

Solid Rock 

Pressing On 

Sometime around 1978, the former Robert Zimmerman cast off his yarmulke and became a Born-Again Christian. It was a career move that pissed off his fans even more than when he “went electric.” “Saved” is the second of three much-maligned Evangelical Christian gospel-rock albums Bob Dylan released between 1979 and 1981. For me, it’s the weakest of the three musically, but it probably contains his most authentic gospel music. The performances are heartfelt and you can feel his commitment to the Lord. Any other Jew from Minnesota might have felt like a gefilte fish out of water (or whatever that jellied shit is), but Bob jumped in head first, assembled a top-notch band of seasoned session players (Jim Keltner, Fred Tackett, Spooner Oldham & Tim Drummond) and three powerful backup singers (Clydie King, Regina Havis & Mona Lisa Young), and spread the good news to anybody who would listen. Though I guess he wasn’t technically Jewish at the time, Dylan isn’t the first Jew to write great Christian songs - Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” and Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” spring to mind. And there are a couple of great songs on this album. The title track and “Solid Rock” are real barn-burners, and “Pressing On” will have you doing cartwheels between the pews.  Unfortunately, the rest of the material is a bit slow and dull in comparison. A friend of mine attended a Dylan concert during this time, and he told me the general reaction from the crowd was “What the fuck is this shit?!?!” Quite understandable when the audience was looking forward to hearing “Everybody must get stoned!” and instead they get a ten minute sermon about the End Times (Yes, Dylan really did preach from the stage at these shows). But, hey, that’s our Zimmy! Over the course of a career that’s lasted almost 60 (!) years, Dylan has had his ups and downs. He’s often been referred to as “mercurial.” You never know what you’re gonna get. And that’s part of the fun. By 1983, Dylan had given up on Christianity, returned to Judaism, and released “Infidels,” a near-masterpiece in my opinion. “Saved” is no masterpiece. It’s a decent album with some fine, listenable songs. If you can’t get past the religiosity, then don’t bother. There’s plenty of Satanic metal out there for ya – praise the Lord! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6ytk4mtIgQP7F67XL1nozV?si=xFJDEffvTICR_1xWXZhd5g